by Terri Owens Blanchard
We often hear, “home is where the heart is,” “home is where the cat is,” and “a house does not make a home.” While these idioms may be true to some, others may have their own definition of what home means to them. Home to me is where there is love, peace, and joy.
Living in a house that argues and fights all the time was not a loving environment for me. Living in a house with chaos did not give me peace. Even a house that was quiet but had no joy was not where I wanted to be. I have lived in these types of surroundings; places that did not have love, certainly not peace, and empty of any joy. Thankfully that is not the case now!
These Scriptures have helped me to create a loving, peaceful and joyful home:
Luke 11:17 - “A house divided will not stand.”
Proverbs 15:16 - “Better to have little, with the fear of the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.”
Proverbs 14 - “A wise woman builds her house.”
Mathew 7:24 - “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.”
2 Corinthians 3:17 - “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.”
John 14:27 - “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you; not as the world gives do I give you peace.”
Galatians 5:22 - “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, joy…”
I also found Mother Teresa’s explanation of home to be helpful, “Peace and war begin at home. If we truly want peace in the world, let us begin by loving one another in our own families. If we want to spread joy, we need for every family to have joy.”
I have learned the key to enjoying a home filled with love, peace and joy. It is simply asking God to be the Lord of my home, committing my home to Christ, and inviting the Holy Spirit to fill and to live in my home. Granted, He first told me that I needed to remove, replace and rearrange a few things. I even needed to relocate. All of which I have gladly done. Because for me, I do not mind making those changes in order to have a home where there is love, peace, and joy.
Terri Owens Blanchard is very happily married to John Blanchard. She is also a mother, a Mimi to her granddaughter, a Mary Kay Consultant, a small group leader to the Military Wives group, and an assistant small group coach. She loves to shop, travel, and shop as she travels! She also enjoys spending time with family, friends and her crazy pets. She can be reached at t.blanchard1@yahoo.com.